The present invention broadly relates to a new and improved construction of an apparatus for loading or charging processing means for processing flexible and substantially flat products, such as printed products and the like.
In its more particular aspects, the present invention specifically relates to a new and improved construction of an apparatus for loading or charging processing means for processing flexible and substantially flat products, especially printed products, and comprises longitudinally extending supporting means for supporting a reclining stack formed of flexible products having a substantially flat configuration. The apparatus further contains an arrangement for forwardly displacing or advancing the flat products in the stack along the supporting means in a direction towards a predetermined withdrawal location.
A loading apparatus for loading a feeder or feeder attachment is known, for example, from the Swiss Pat. No. 584,642, granted Feb. 15, 1977, and contains a stack support formed by two serially-arranged pairs of conveying chains. The printed sheets to be processed are placed upon the transporting or conveying chains in the form of a compressed stack and are conveyed by means of the conveying chains towards a retention plate. Since the printed sheets are so tightly compressed in the stack that they cannot be stripped off without danger of disruption, special measures must be taken when using this known method in order to loosen the printed sheets relative to each other prior to withdrawing them. For this purpose that pair of conveying chains situated closer to a stop is downwardly angled or bent as compared with the other pair of conveying chains, so that the conveying path is bent. While passing through this bent portion of the conveying path, the printed sheets in the stack are fanned out or separated. However, the loosening effect thus achieved is still insufficient and therefore two guide plates are arranged in the region of this bent portion of the conveying path. The two guide plates are arranged opposite each other with respect to the conveying path and extend upwardly in the region of such bent portion. The distance between the guide plates is greater than the width of the flat products or printed sheets in the stack. Adjusting screws are screwed into these guide plates, and are adjusted such that their tips protrude to some extent into the conveying path of the printed sheets.
In a loading apparatus as described in the German Patent Publication No. 3,425,397, and which is cognate with the initially mentioned and herein cross-referenced U.S. patent application Ser. No. 06/624,365, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,657,237, printed sheets are not placed on supporting means in the form of a compressed stack, but are individually and consecutively pushed onto the rear of the stack. In this manner a looser stack is formed. However, the danger exists that the printed sheets, during their forward displacement, may slide or slip away or flip over or change their position within the stack in an unpredictable manner, since the printed sheets are not pressed against each other. However, a compression of the printed sheets in order to prevent this phenomena is undesirable for the same reasons recited in relation to the apparatus according to the aforementioned Swiss Pat. No. 584,642.